Principal Backend Architect - Remote + Equity

Prophetx; New York (NY); Remote; USD 200,000 - 250,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Equity opportunities

Remote work within USA

Comprehensive health coverage

Job summary

ProphetX is seeking a Principal / Senior Staff Backend Engineer (IC5) to define technical strategy for a CFTC-regulated exchange platform. You will influence engineering direction, drive critical decisions, and mentor teams to scale our services.

You’ll lead architecture discussions, evaluate new tech, and partner with product and leadership to shape the roadmap while owning high-impact initiatives across the engineering organization.

Qualifications

• 10+ years backend and distributed systems experience with org-wide impact.
• Expert-level Go, Java, C++, or Python and large-scale system design.
• Proven experience architecting low-latency, high-availability platforms.
• Mastery of event-driven architecture, real-time APIs, data systems, cloud-native infra.
• Deep experience with reliability, security, and compliance in regulated environments.
• History of mentoring senior engineers.
• Exceptional communication and influence across teams and execs.
• Proactive, growth-focused with strong ownership.
• Prediction markets/fintech or exchange experience a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define long-term technical strategy and architecture for the exchange platform.
• Lead company-level technical initiatives with ambiguous scope and risk.
• Drive decisions on scalability, resilience, and security in a regulated environment.
• Evaluate new technologies, and build-versus-buy decisions at org level.
• Advise leadership on technical feasibility, risk, and investment.
• Mentor engineers and shape hiring, leveling, and culture.
• Represent engineering depth with partners and regulators.
• Collaborate with product and leadership to influence roadmap.
• Share knowledge and grow peers across the team.

Skills

Backend architecture

Go

Java

C++

Python

Large-scale systems

Event-driven

Real-time APIs

Reliability & security

Mentoring

Communication

Ownership

Fintech/Exchange familiarity

Tools

Cloud-native infrastructure

Job description

ProphetX is seeking a Principal / Senior Staff Backend Engineer (IC5) to define technical strategy for a CFTC-regulated exchange platform. You will influence engineering direction, drive critical decisions, and mentor teams to scale our services.

You’ll lead architecture discussions, evaluate new tech, and partner with product and leadership to shape the roadmap while owning high-impact initiatives across the engineering organization.